A cylinder head cover seal is known for this purpose from DE 198 44 217 C1, which seals a cylinder head cover on a cylinder head housing using at least one sealing section extending in a sealing plane, which is adjoined by a sealing area protruding from the sealing plane. A transition zone is implemented between the sealing section and the sealing area, in which the shape of the sealing section and the shape of the sealing area merge into one another. In order to improve the installation capability of such a cylinder head cover seal, a stabilization device is provided, which cooperate with the transition zone and stabilize its form. The stabilization device has adhesive or adhesive compounds.
Known stabilization device are solely installation aids and assist critical seal areas, which do not have a level sealing surface, during the installation of seals. It must be accepted that the adhesive or the adhesive compounds which are used as the installation aid and stabilization device do not permit reuse of the cylinder head cover seal. In addition, the known stabilization device do not assist a long-lived seal between a cylinder head cover made of plastic and a cylinder head housing made of metal alloys, in particular if the seal is to seal sealing surfaces of the cylinder head cover made of plastic having transitions at the frontal bearing cap to level sealing surfaces of the cylinder head housing.
Even if the cylinder head cover is designed very carefully, so that a suitable sealing profile of a seal can be pressed on everywhere between sealing surfaces of the cylinder head cover and sealing surfaces of the frontal bearing cap as well as level sealing surfaces of the cylinder head housing, the plastic of the cylinder head cover does not form a very robust material with respect to aging, stiffness, and temperatures, which can certainly reach levels greater than approximately 150° C. on the cylinder head housing. The plastic of the cylinder head cover ages due to the temperature cycles of an internal combustion engine, so that the compression of the seal diminishes in particular at the transitions from the cylinder head housing to the frontal bearing cap and leaks can occur for a spray oil mist.
Even with the use of a common bearing cap, which accommodates the frontal camshaft bearings of two adjacent camshafts, the problem of the transition between the level sealing surface of the cylinder head housing to the frontal bearing cap is merely displaced to the outer sides of the common bearing cap and does not assist reliable and reproducible installation of a cylinder head cover seal in these critical transition areas, in particular not in the event of multiple openings of the cylinder head cover for inspection, maintenance, or overhaul work.
In view of the foregoing, at least one object is to achieve an improvement for a long-lived seal and an ability to install a seal multiple times between cylinder head cover and cylinder head housing in the area of a frontal bearing cap. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.